The Battle of Beruna
by star.everlasting
Summary: oneshot, moviebased.-- Edmund's death, before and after, and the impact it has on his siblings. --major sibling fluff, no incest, slightly angst. and major character "death".--


**The Battle of Beruna**

**By Narnian magic**

Hiya, guys!! Another fic idea that popped into my mind as I re-watched the movie. Just for clarification, there is **NO INCEST**, in this story, so relax. There' s just a lot of major sib stuff, just so you know. Yes, yes, don't worry; I'll update Safe From Danger (for those who read it). DD

Well, hope you guys enjoy this!!!!

Disclaimer: Own nothing but storyline

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Edmund ran and brought his sword up, jumping with precisely the right timing. The sword met the Witch's wand, and it shattered, causing the now-freed power to ripple through the plains. However, the battle wasn't over yet. Trying to get a hit at his opponent, the Pevensie slashed at her, only to be blocked by her sword. The next thing he knew, a searing pain met his abdomen as he dropped. _'I'm sorry, Peter…'_

Time slowed down for Peter Pevensie as he saw his brother fall down. Anger boiled up inside of him- there was no one, absolutely no one who could harm his family and get away with it at the same time. Letting out a loud growl, he advanced on the Witch, swinging his sword and blocking her attacks. She only laughed at his futile attempts. "Little King." She taunted him, smiling as she glanced at the fire, burning ever so fiercely in his eyes. Peter swung his sword wildly like he was mad, hoping to get even a scratch on the Witch- of course, fruitless attempts. "Is that all you've got? So Aslan puts his hopes on someone who doesn't even know how to fight properly." The result came as she expected, as the so-called King thrust his sword in swift, wild motions towards his enemy. Lashing out, the Witch knocked away his weapon and pinned him to the ground with a cry of pain from Peter- then knocking away his shield. He was utterly defenseless as the Witch laughed.

"Good bye, little Prince." Said the evil being as she raised her sword for the final blow. Quite suddenly, a roar rang through the plain, startling all in the midst of battle. Peter smiled slightly at the sight of Aslan with his two sisters- and reinforcements. Charging, the reinforces let out a cry as they rushed to the aid of the Narnians, at the same time as the great Lion ran towards the Witch, and with a final pounce, Peter knew that it was the end. Pulling the sword out from himself, he jumped up and watched as the Witch closed her eyes for the last time, unable to look away from the sight.

Aslan slowly turned towards him. "It is done."

A cry pierced through the plains. "Peter!" The eldest Pevensie turned around and got the wind knocked out of him as Lucy ran towards him, with Susan at her heels. The little girl hugged her oldest brother tightly, while her sister looked around suspiciously before she set her accusing eyes onto Peter. "Where's Ed?" He froze and the three Pevensies looked around, before spotting their other brother on the ground, slowly dying. To quicken his death, a dwarf limped up to him, axe raised and ready to end it all. In one swift motion, Susan drew an arrow and fitted it onto the bow, releasing. She had perfect accuracy.

The arrow flew into the dwarf's heart, and he dropped- dead. They all rushed over to hold Edmund, their brother- it was as if they held him closer and tighter, death's hands wouldn't be able to pry them apart. He lay gasping, wheezing for air as Lucy fumbled with her cordial- and just as she reached it, Edmund's hand in Peter's went limp as their older brother grew frantic. "No, Ed, no!"

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Pain. Fire. It consumed his entire body, numbing his brain. The sensation of it was unbearable; he wanted something, anything to get him out of it. He felt his helmet being taken off, his hand clenched tightly in a much larger one. He heard his name somewhere in the distance. "Edmund. Edmund!" Why, oh WHY hadn't he listened to Peter? Simply because he didn't want to leave his brother alone.

Edmund would much rather it was he than Peter who had to suffer the pain for it- after all, Peter hadn't done anything to deserve it. He wasn't the one to betray his siblings for Turkish Delight. His family for candy. He had been pardoned, forgiven even as he had betrayed his family and Narnia, even if he was the biggest git in the Pevensie family, he had been mercily forgiven, and his siblings loved him. Narnia didn't turn it's back on him as he had been returned worn out, battered and broken from his ordeal with the White Witch. Instead, they had welcomed him back with open arms, and in them, he felt the true meaning of love and family.

Protecting them was the least he could do for them, after all the siblings had been through. Memories flashed through his mind's eyes as the sharp pain spread out through his body once again. He remembered the day Lucy was born. He remembered staring into the little red face and the feeling of her tiny hands wrapping around several of his fingers. He remembered the way Susan would ruffle his hair, the way Peter and he had stuck up for their sisters against the bullies at school. He remembered that one time where he got in trouble while protecting little Lucy from a boy determined to steal her lunch. He remembered painfully how he had lied to the two eldest Pevensies about the discovery of Narnia. He remembered the way Lucy's face had scrunched up as she was prepared to bawl and ran from her siblings. He remembered the cold as he trudged through the snow to the Witch's house. He remembered the way his siblings welcomed him back. _'And now? It's time for me to go…'_ Edmund thought as the fire erupted inside his body and his mind slipped into the darkness. Faintly, he heard someone calling his name in the distance, but was too tired to struggle from the hold of death, too weak to respond. _'I'm so sorry…'

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Lucy Pevensie stared out the window of her room in Cair Paravel. The same thought that had haunted her taunted her still, as she sat on the comfortable window seat, looking out to the Eastern Sea. The details of the battle, Edmund's wound, Susan's tears and Peter's plea's rang in her head, doing battle with her mind. It was all her fault. Her fault that she had lost her best friend on that day.

_Flashback_

Lucy fumbled with the cordial and reached it just as Edmund's hand went limp in Peter's, his head rolling to the side on Susan's lap. "No, Ed, NO! We still have Narnia to rule, the Narnians look up to the four of us!" Susan covered her mouth with one of her hands as tears streaked down her cheeks in a rapid fashion. Each second felt like a whole hour as the youngest Pevensie stared at her injured brother, her sibling's cries roaring in her ears. Suddenly, she felt faint as the world spun before her eyes. _'Edmund, you promised that you'd protect me! You promised that you'd be my best friend! You promised that you'd always be there…' _

_Flashback _

"Ed-wund!" Three-year-old Lucy comes running towards her brother at four years old, her tiny arms stretched wide, a teddy bear dangling from one of her hands, a smile on her face. Deciding to attack straightforwardly, the little girl charged at Edmund as she attempted to wrap her short arms around him. Laughing, little Edmund returned the hug, grinning with an evidently missing tooth.

_Flashback_

"Give me your lunch." The twelve year old boy held out his hand, with his two friends snickering behind him as a ten years old Lucy tightened her grip on the brown bag and shook her head. "Come on, little girl, we haven't got all day." They advanced, and the frightened Pevensie backed up against a tree. "You don't have any where to go." One of them leaned in a taunted, making her flatten herself against the tree. "Hey! What do you think you're doing?" a sharp voice rang out, turning all four heads. A smile lit Lucy's face. "Edmund!" Her older brother dragged her behind him, and sent a fierce glare towards the others. The leader of the three straightened. "Oh, just asking your sister nicely for her lunch." "And there's no way that she'll give it to you." Edmund cut in curtly. Then, the rumble really started.

Leaning to his ear, the older boy spoke. "Listen, kid, if you don't want to get hurt, I suggest that you hand over that lunch now." Edmund stared at him for a moment before rearing back and punching him in the face. Lucy screamed as the three of them rounded up on her brother, and started a fight. Peter and Susan heard her cries and immediately rushed to her, Susan accompanying her younger sister as Peter tried to stop the fighting.

By the time they were through and the three boys slunk away defeated, Edmund's lip was bleeding in addition to a bruise on his cheekbone, and Peter's knuckles were smeared with blood. Susan, who was through fussing with Edmund started on Peter as the four siblings walked home. The elder two walked on ahead as the third eldest turned to the youngest of the four. "Lucy, they didn't hurt you, did they?" Shaking her head, Lucy responded to him silently.

_Flashback_

Running in the dark through her tears, Lucy ran to Edmund's bed and jumped on it, burying herself under the covers. "What's up, Lu?" Her brother asked her groggily as she started on something that had to do with someone dying. Not having the words to say, Edmund wrapped his arms around her, and the two found comfort within one another. "Don't worry, Lu," he finally said. "I'm your older brother. I'll be there to protect you. I swear it. I'll always be there when you need me." He finished quietly. The little girl's tears stopped and the two of them fell asleep.

_End of flashback_

She didn't realize someone was knocking on her door until her name was shouted rather too loudly. Startled, Lucy was surprised to find the tears running down her cheeks. Hurriedly, she wiped them away before answering thickly, "Come in."

"Lucy dear, are you alright? It's time for dinner." Susan took one look at her face and immediately knew what had happened. Minutes dragged by like weeks as the two sisters made their way down to the dining hall.

In reality, the battle had only been four days ago. Lucy seemed to never stop crying since then, and Susan was practically locked inside the archery room in the castle, not coming out during long spans of time. Peter stayed in the weaponry, the duties of being King not yet weighed on his shoulders. The three siblings mourned for their brother in their own way, and yet, everyone was trying to be strong for everyone else. It just wasn't working out.

After dinner, Lucy locked herself in her room yet again, and lay down on the silken sheets that she knew would take some time to get used to. Breathing in the fresh scent from her pillow, she started to scream in it, muffling the noise. As soon as her voice became raspy and her throat started to hurt, she reached for the cup of water that she knew was there, drank it, and then continue to scream until all emotions poured out of her and she could escape into the world of sleep. However, even the abyss of slumber didn't offer her peace. Nightmares haunted her dreams, ghosts of the past pointing their fingers at her, accusing her still of her brother's death, resulting in a blood-shot eyed Lucy the next morning.

Actually, she hadn't slept after the nightmares were finished with her. She would take her place on the window seat, watching the moon make it's nightly rounds across the sky, and the sun rising out of the sea. No matter what she did, she could never force the thought of Edmund's death out of her mind. She knew it was her fault, no matter what the others told her. They didn't know how it felt to have the power to bring him back and yet, was too late to use it. They didn't know how it felt like to have your best friend back after thinking he was dead, and then ultimately loose him again. When Aslan was around, she could bear to look at him, the feeling of guilt rising up in her chest. The sun was barely separated from the glistening waters before she was called back again from her thoughts.

"Lu, wake up…its time for breakfast." Peter knocked on her door, before opening it and stepping through. He frowned as he saw the face of his youngest sister. "You haven't slept much, have you?" Lucy looked at him and almost snorted. Like he and Susan were the ones to talk. Susan's pale skin had grown much paler (how she was that stressed in only a few days scared her), and she was thinner than she used to be. Peter's hair was almost always mussed nowadays, and there were dark circles under his eyes. Sighing, she shook her head and mumbled, "I'll be down in a few minutes." Her brother looked at her before resigning. "Alright." Retreating from her room, Peter started down the hall and Lucy started to get ready for the day.

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Susan ran lightly over to Peter in her coronation dress just a few minutes before the ceremony was about to start. Opening his arms, Peter enveloped his little sister in a hug. "Susan, you look absolutely stunning." And she did. Clad in a blue gown with silver thread used for the dress patterns complete with a blue cloak, she was quite the sight. A smile played on her lips, but not her eyes as it crumpled and her face scrunched up, starting to sob. Peter also felt his tears coming, and he buried his nose in her hair as the two siblings stayed that way for a few minutes. "I'm sorry." Susan finally said, half pushing him away. "Susan, you've tried to be strong for all of us. You deserve it."

This time, a real smile twinkled for a second in her eyes. "And you," she started, "deserve it as well. Don't always be so noble, Peter. But thank you." Peter smiled at her, and wiped her tears away with his thumb, and then eliminating his own. "Come on." A knock on the door was heard, and Aslan appeared with Lucy at his side. "It is time." The great Lion said, and the three were led to the great hall. As they stood at the end of the hall, waiting for Aslan to move, the three siblings reminisced of their journey so far. Feeling a wave of fresh tears hit her, Lucy refused to let them fall as she saw the four thrones. _'Four.' _She thought. _'There should be four of us.' _

Her attention was brought back as she heard sounds from those who were present, and she looked back. The fading sunlight blocked out the face of the figure who had intruded upon the ceremony, but no one moved. And as the figure came to view, Lucy felt her heart burst with joy as Edmund stepped through into the hall. "Edmund!" All three siblings bolted to him, and kissing and crying, the four siblings were reunited at last. Peter took one look at him and quickly wrapped him in a brotherly hug, while Susan started to check for injuries, between ruffling his hair and hugging him at the same time.

Lucy waited for them to finish, and Edmund directed his attention to her. She could see his crestfallen eyes as she stood still, just staring at him, her blue eyes full of tears. It was only when he opened his arms with a renewed expression did she launch herself at him, giving him the biggest hug that Lucy Pevensie had ever given to anyone in her life. Her lost brother swept her off her feet and swung her around, then buried his face in her hair. She looked up, and smiled for the first time since the battle. Aslan eventually managed to calm them, and as they walked down the aisle, the children's faces looked almost radiant.

"To the Glistening Eastern Sea, I give Queen Lucy, the Valiant."

"To the Great Western Woods, I give King Edmund, the Just."

"To the Radiant Southern Sun, I give Queen Susan, the Gentle."

"To the Clear Northern Skies, I give King Peter, the Magnificent."

And so, they were crowned, and the four monarchs enjoyed themselves at the feast and dancing afterwards. Susan dragged Peter to the dance floor, while Lucy went out to seek Edmund. She found him on the balcony, overlooking the sea. Linking her arm with his, she sighed pleasantly. "I'm really glad you came back." Edmund looked at her for a moment, then faced the dying sun. "But I had gotten what I deserved." He said quietly. Frowning, Lucy looked at him, and then started to get mad as she freed her arm from his. "Why are you still thinking that way?" she asked him angrily. "Can't you see that Aslan had brought you back for a reason? Can't you see that Narnia forgives you and Susan, Peter, and I all love you?" Tears began to build up in her eyes. "There was a reason why there were four of us! There was a reason there were four thrones! Can you look past your thoughts of _stupidity _and just realize that no matter what you've done that we still want you, that we still love you?"

Edmund blinked. Lucy had _never _used anything even close to profanity in her life. He looked at her angry expression, the tears slowly making their way down her cheeks. Heart crumbling at the sight, he drew her into his arms. "Oh, come on, Lu. It's alright." Sniffing, the young Queen returned his embrace. "I promised you that I'd protect you and always be there, didn't I?" Lucy nodded in response. Wiping her tears away, her brother looked in the direction of the hall. "So now…" he half bowed, and a smile tugged at his lips as he extended his hand. "Would you care to dance with me?"

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NM: Wow. Took me a whole day. Surprisingly. Like I said, there was no incest in it. Anyway, what did you think? Good? Bad? Horrible? This is my first one-shot in a long time, so… 


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